A Lay Sisterhood

New Zealand Tablet, 24 November 1921, Page 37

A Lay Sisterhood

A new Catholic organisation of women whose members wear no habit, but nevertheless have consecrated their lives to social service and charity has been formed in New York. The community has been especially created to give an opportunity for missionary service at home, and to produce trained social workers whose only task in life is to help others. Reconstruction and rehabilitation of the homo is the great objective of all the organisation's efforts. The care for' the poor and sick, both young and old, from the baby who needs a layette to the child who should attend church and school; from the young couple in difficulties of various. sorts to the aged and helpless. The home, as a perfect social unit, is the object towards which all the social service of the "sisterhood" tends. Parish visitors, as members of the new community are known, devote eight hours of each day to the homes of the most needy in each parish. Spiritual: advice is offered as well as attention to purely mundane necessities. Many of the members were teachers before entrance. Others gave up business or professional careers to concentrate their zeal upon the opportunities here offered. v W- ■ ■/'■'-

The boy who does the little things well is making himself ready to do the big things better. - * ; •